UHV School of Business Administration adds two new positions

The University of Houston-Victoria School of Business Administration recently named its first endowed professor and its first executive in residence.

Massoud Metghalchi was selected for the Ron Sardessai Endowed Professorship, and Steve Ferguson was hired as the UHV School of Business Administration's executive in residence.

A committee evaluated candidates for the endowed professorship and recommended Metghalchi based on his record in research, teaching and service to the school and university during the past 21 years.

Farhang Niroomand, dean of the UHV School of Business Administration, appointed Metghalchi.

Metghalchi's research primarily deals with the world's equity markets. His latest project is researching the behavior of stock markets in the U.S., Europe and Asia. Metghalchi has published numerous articles.

Sardessai was a management professor and faculty leader at UHV for 25 years before he died in 2011.

Through a $50,000 donation by the Sardessai family and the support of UHV business faculty and staff, funding for the professorship exceeded the target of $250,000.

"It gives me great pleasure to bestow this professorship on Dr. Metghalchi," Niroomand said. "He has been an integral part of this school for many years."

Ferguson will work to make Greater Houston businesses more aware of UHV's programs and, in the process, assist in the creation of student internships and class projects.

"We'd like to develop an education program that is responsive to the needs of those businesses so our graduates come better prepared," Ferguson said. "In turn, we'd like for business owners, managers and executives to get in front of students in the classrooms, so we can build relationships between students and businesses."

Ferguson also will help coordinate speakers for School of Business Administration conferences and the Willis Group Distinguished Speaker Series.

Ferguson moved to Houston in 1996 where he became president, CEO and board director of River Oaks Trust Co.

In 2010, Ferguson also began serving as an adjunct faculty member at Houston Community College.

This semester, he started teaching a leadership class at UHV.

"We are pleased to have Ferguson as our first executive in residence," Niroomand said. "He and I will work together to build an advisory board for the school made up of Houston-area business leaders."